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Saturday, December 10, 2016

Jeremiah 27

Verses 7 and 8 are an analogy to the completion of those who serve the Invisible. An unattractive analogy in many ways. But note the emphasis on the gentiles in TNK. The opinion of Egypt is valued by Yahweh in Deuteronomy 9:28 as noted earlier this month, then David is the grandson of a Moabite as noted among other gentiles in the opening chapter of Matthew, and here Nebuchadnezzar, the foreign king, a servant of Yahweh. So how are we to be completed in our refusal of the shackle of rule? I won't put it in a few words, but in our ontological anger, we all desperately need such completion. I find it strange here that it is that very positive word, תמם, that is used here. I never use it with a negative connotation in my renderings.

With the abundance of false news today, we too have a hard time distinguishing truth from falsehood, good from evil, and love from self-interest.

And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to king of the children of Amon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon,
by the hand of messengers entering Jerusalem to Zedekiah, king of Judah.

And it will be: the nation or the kingdom that will not serve him, even Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and that will not give its neck into the shackle of the king of Babel,
by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, I will make a visit to that nation, an oracle of Yahweh, until I have completed them by his hand.

And to the priests and to all this people, I spoke, saying, Thus says Yahweh, Do not hear the words of your prophets that prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the house of Yahweh will be returned from Babel now swiftly,
for falsehood they prophesy to you.

And if prophets they are, and if there is a word of Yahweh with them,
let them compel now in Yahweh of hosts, that the vessels that remain in the house of Yahweh and the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not go to Babel.